By Amy Watson
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - There are 143 million orphans in the world. Now, a well-known Christian artist and his family are behind a huge adoption push that is growing families all over the mid-state.
About a year ago, Nathaniel and Rebeka Wright's family of four grew to five when the Wright's adopted baby Caleb.
"He was not going to have a dad involved with his life where he was before with his birth parents and I think that's great to have a daddy in his life, I think every little boy needs that," said Nathaniel Wright.
The issue for the Wrights was never the motivation, it was the money. They received a grant from the organization Show Hope of Tennessee.
Christian music artist Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife Mary Beth are behind the organization.
"We love that we are able to help children come into their forever families via grants from all over the world," said Mary Beth.
Show Hope has given out 2700 grants in three years to families in 46 countries. It is a project gaining attention through the Chapman's highly publicized fundraising production "Cinderella", which was held just a few weeks ago at the Schermerhorn in Nashville.
But the movement to care for orphans includes a project you may not know about. It's called Maria's Big House of Hope.
"The song, 'Big Big House' is a song by buddies of mine and a group called Audio Adrenaline. And Maria was learning the song for a spring program," said Steven Curtis Chapman.
Maria Sue was the youngest of three daughters the Chapman's adopted from China. She rounded out their already full house with Stevey Joy, Shoahannah, Emily, Caleb and Will Franklin.
For four years, Maria blessed the family with her sweet spirit until one terrible day in May 2008 when she was killed in a tragic accident at home.
Mary Beth described the overwhelming grief of the last three years as wandering in a dark forest.
And even though they know God has been with them, the pain has been at times too much to bear.
"To leave that dark forest and to leave all I've known for these three years, is to leave Maria," said Mary Beth. "But at the same time, I know that He has so much for us to do while we are still here. "
And in Maria's name, the Chapman's have expanded their call to save orphans.
A 60,000 square foot, six story blue building in the middle of China is Maria's Big House of Hope. They provide special needs orphans with specialized medical care.
Maria's Big House cares for 130 children a month. Doctors perform cleft palette repair, and heart surgeries on children often discarded by their families.
Emily Chapman Richards initiated her family's adoption mission. She asked for a sister when she was only 11.
"To stand in the middle of China, in a building obviously named after her legacy, caring for kids that were a similar position as her, as she came home as a medically fragile orphan herself. It's really surreal, to go, 'wow God, you really are turning this story around,'" said Emily.
Little Isaac has long-term medical issues, something that makes all orphan children hard to place, many of whom die alone in China. But because of the Chapman's, Isaac is getting a "forever" family.
The Wright's are getting a second Show Hope grant for a second orphan, and Isaac could be home by the end of the year.
If you'd like to know more about Show Hope of Maria's Big House of Hope, go to www.showhope.org
Email: awatson@newschannel5.com
